Radioelectric control device



s- 20, 1940. A. BOLLACK 2,212,315

RADIOELECTRIC CONTROL DEVICE Filed April 30, 1938 Lucien Armand 5HoeJ1IN VENTO It 4a. AT'T\ Patented Aug. 20, 1940 warren STATES PTENT OFFICEApplication April 30, 1938, Serial No. 205,190 In France May 15, 1937 3Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus of the kind includingelectric circuits, and in particular oscillating circuits in combinationwith electronic systems, and it is more especially con- 5 cerned withradio-electric apparatus, such as radiophone or television receivingsets, electroacoustic apparatus such as pick-ups, and, generallyspeaking, all apparatus including electric circuits the characteristicsof which are to be 10 varied by means of adjustment devices.

The object of the present invention is to provide apparatus of this kindwhich is better adapted to meet the requirements of practice, and inparticular which is easier to adjust accurately 15 and improved ofappearance.

The essential feature of the present invention, relating to apparatus ofthe type above mentioned the frame of which is combined with cases orthe like including movable elements,

such. as doors, consists in interconnecting the movements of saidmovable elements with those of at least some of the devices for varyingthe electrical characteristics of said apparatus, or of the electronicsystems cooperating with said circuits. v

According to another feature of the present invention, relating toradioelectric receivers, I provide the apparatus with a lamp-shademovable with respect thereto and the displacements 30 of which controlat least some of the adjustment devices, as above explained.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be hereinafterdescribed, with reference to the. accompanying drawing, given merely byway of example, and in which:

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are, respectively, an elevation partly in section, asection on the line IIII of Fig. 1, and a plan view, of a radiophonicreceiver according to the invention;

i Fig. 4 is a view, similar to Fig. 2, of a modification;

Fig. 5 is a partial section of another modification.

. My apparatus includes, in the usual manner:

4 (a) A radio-electric system including a plurality of electronic tubesl in combination with electric circuits the characteristics of which canbe varied by means of suitable adjustment devices, the whole beingcarried by a frame 2 and 50 combined with a loud speaker or diffuser 3;

and

(b) For covering this system, a case or the like 4, of wood, syntheticresin, or another suitable material, including in particular doors 5, 6,

55 these movable elements being intended toper- (Cl. ZED-14) mit ofhaving access to the inside of the case or to control the emission ofacoustic waves.

Now, according to my invention, these two parts are combined in suchmanner that the movements of at least some of the movable 5 elements ofthe second part are interconnected with those of at least some of theadjustment devices included in the first part of the apparatus so thatthese movable elements can replace the usual control knobs of radioreceivers.

Supposing for instance that the apparatus includes two movable elements,constituted for instance by doors 8, which in the drawing are shown infront of the loud speaker (although this showing has no limitativecharacter), it 15 seems advantageous to proceed as follows:

One of these doors, to wit 5, is combined with the sound volume controldevice, diagrammatically shown at l, with the contacting device orswitch 8 which permits of starting the apparatus.

The other door, to wit 8, is connected with any of the other adjustmentdevices, such as the variable condenser or condensers for tuning thereceiver, the wave range switch (although it is advantageous to controlthese two devices through another movable element which will behereinafter referred to) or one of the devices for adjusting tonality,sensitiveness, selectivity, and so on, reference character 9 beingsupposed, on the drawing, to apply to the tonality control device.

The control of these devices by means of said doors may be effected asfollows:

According to the arrangement disclosed by Figs. 1 to 3, the axes aboutwhich the doors are pivoted are mounted in line with the respective axesof said devices upon which would be fitted, in the conventionalconstruction, the control knobs, and these last mentioned axes are rigidwith the rotating elements l2 of the doors. Of course, in this case, theposition of these adjustment devices on the frame is chosen especiallyin order to permit this mounting.

Alternatively, I may have recourse to any kinematic connection betweenthe parts E2 of the doors and the parts to be controlled, and in thiscase the adjustment devices may be mounted at any place on the frame.This second mentioned arrangement permits of obtaining, through theseconnections, any reduction or amplification of the movement of thedoors.

The kinematic connections may be of any kind, such as spur or bevelgears, combinations of levers, chains, cables, wires, and so on. On thedrawing, I have shown pinions H), II between one of the doors and thecorresponding adjustment device, and pinions of the same kind l3, i lfor the movable element 15 which will be hereinafter referred to.

Of course, when the doors are in particular intended to give a passagefor the sound waves, the system above described is prefen'ably arrangedin such manner that the useful dislacement of said doors begins onlywhen they have reached a position sufiiciently opened for avoiding anyrisk of interfering with the diffusion of said waves. This result may beobtained in any suitable manner, for instance by means of a unilateraldrive by mere contact under the eifect of a spring, with a stopdisengaging the part to be driven from the door when the latter ismoving along the part of its path which is to correspond to no movementof said driven part, or by means of a clutch device which, beinginterposed between the part to be driven and the door, would be broughtinto operation at the beginning of said useful displacement of the door.

In the preceding description, I have considered, as movable elementsplaying the part of con- I trol members, doors 5, 6. But it should bewell understood that I can make use of all other movable elements. Inparticular, I may employ the following arrangement, which can,eventually, be used alone.

With this arrangement, I combine, with a radio-electric apparatus(radiophony, television, etc.) a device acting as a shade, incombination with at least one light source carried by the apparatus, andthis shade is mounted in such manner as to be able to move in operativeconnection with at least one of the adjustment devices of the apparatus.

In particular, I have found that it is advantageous to control, by meansof said shade E5, the tuning device of the apparatus, consisting forinstance of the simple or multiple variable condenser l 6.

For this purpose, shade i is pivotally mounted about'a vertical oroblique axis, being for instance rigid with a pivot l7 journalled in abearing l3. This pivot l'l isconnected to the shaft IQ of the condenseras above explained, either directly, with eventually the interpositionof a flexible joint 20, or through kinematic connecting means, such forinstance as those above mentioned, to wit pinions l3, l4.

Such an arrangement is particularly advantageous because it permits,owing to the large peripheric surface of the shade, of giving shaft ii,and therefore shaft I9, angular displacements as small as possible,which ensures a high accuracy.

This accuracy is further increased by marking on the shade itself thepositions corresponding to the various emitting stations. Theseindications are marked for instance at 2!, on a zone of sufficientheight of the periphery of said shade.

This zone may extend either over a part of the periphery of the shade,especially when said shade is rigidly connected with the condenser(Figs. 1 to 3) or over the Whole of said periphery, when a kinematicconnection, such as l3, M (Fig. 4) ensures a reduction of the movementof the shade. I

An equivalent solution would consist in marking the stations on acircular hand 2E advana sun and plant wheel system or any otherequivalent device 22.

But it should be well understood that the indications of the names ofthe stations might be disposed on any other movable part (drum, disc,etc.) provided at any point of the apparatus and controlled through anykinematic means.

Concerning the shape to be given to the shade, and also the matter ofwhich it should be made, I have found that it is advantageous, at leastconcerning part 2! or 2& on which the stations are marked, to make it ofa transparent or translucent material, the illumination being obtainedeither from a main light source '23 (Figs. 2 and 4) coacting with theshade, or from an auxiliary source 25, cut in a fixed support :26.

According to another feature of the present invention, at least one ofthe movable elements above mentioned is caused to coact with at leasttwo adjustment devices.

For instance, supposing that this feature is applied to the shade abovedescribed, the latter is combined on the one hand to the tuningcondenser l8 and, on the other hand to the wave-length switch 21.,

For this purpose, as shown by Fig. 4, in addition to its rotarymovement, the shade is given an axial displacement, this last mentioneddis-. placement being made use of for controlling switch 2'l throughanysuitable means, such as a lug 29 carried by a lever 28 andcooperating with shaftv Hi. In this case, said shaft has its lower endof square section so as to be able to slide in pinion l3.'

When the names of the stations are carried by an annular element, suchas 2! or 2H, which is also given the same axial displacement as theshade, the stations of the various ranges of wave-lengths (two rangesbeing provided in the example illustrated by the drawing) may be markedon two (or. more) superposed bands, so that, according to the positionof the whole, the stations of the range that is chosen appear throughaperture 25.

A handle or knob 30 may be provided for facilitating the operation ofthe shade for moving it axially. Furthermore, the various positions ofutilization may be stabilized by means such as a spring ball 33 coactingwith grooves 3!, 32.

The operation of the device according to the invention results from theabove description.

The chief advantages of the arrangement according to the invention arethe following:

Adjustment of the set is more accurate.

The external appearance is improved because at least some, and sometimesall, of the knobs or other control members are-eliminated.

The control of the apparatus is eifected with- I out any risk ofmistake.

If the apparatus consisted of a radio-electric phonograph or pick-up,one of the doorswould control the switching on and off and the power ofthe electric circuits and the other door would control the starting ofthe motor driving the disc.

While I have, in the above description, disclosed what I deem to bepractical and efficient embodiments of the present invention, it shouldbe well understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto as theremight be changes made in the arrangement, disposition, and form of theparts Without departing from the principle of the present invention ascomprehended within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A radio receiver set comprising, in'combination, an electricalreceiving installation including a loud-speaker and volume controlmeans, a housing enclosing said installation and having a movable doordisposed in its closed. position in front of said loud-speaker, andmeans mechanically coupling said door to said volume control means so asto increase the volume when said door is opened and to decrease thevolume when the door is closed.

2. A radio receiver set comprising, in combination, an electricalreceiving installation including a loud-speaker and volume controlmeans, a housing enclosing said installation and having a movable doordisposed in its closed position in front of said loudspeaker, and meansmechanically coupling said door to said volume control means so as toincrease the volume when said door is opened and to decrease the volumewhenv the door is closed, said coupling means starting to actuate saidvolume control means only after said door has been opened to apredetermined extent.

3. A radio receiver set comprising, in combination, an electricalreceiving installation including a loud speaker, volume control means,and tone pitch control means, a door including two independently movablewings, both disposed in their closed positions in front of said loudspeaker, means mechanically coupling one wing of said door to saidvolume control means so as to increase the volume when said wing isopened and to decrease the volume when said wing is closed, and meansmechanically coupling the second wing of said door to said tone pitchcontrol, so as to raise the tone pitch when said second wing is openedand to lower the tone pitch when said second Wing is closed.

LUCIEN ARMAND BOLLACK.

